Nahki Wells is using every last moment he can to leave a lasting legacy at Bristol City with the Bermudian in the final year of his contract at Ashton Gate but delivering the performances that show precisely why he was a marquee signing for the club back in 2020.
Wells’ journey at City has not been a traditional, or even simple one. A £4.2m arrival from Burnley in the January transfer window who was supposed to be the missing piece in Lee Johnson’s play-off puzzle, the loss of key midfielder Josh Brownhill in the other direction and the pandemic conspired against him fulfilling that role.
In his second season at the club, Wells finished as top scorer under Dean Holden and then Nigel Pearson with 10 goals but also found himself frequently operating almost as a left-winger, as opposed to his preferential central role.
It then got even more challenging for the 32-year-old in 2021/22, as he found himself completely on the periphery of the starting XI, the emergence of Antoine Semenyo as a credible and devastating first-team option dropping him down the pecking order.
Having repelled unsubstantial loan offers for him in the previous two transfer windows, a summer departure looked likely for Wells, who is among the higher earners at Ashton Gate and has entered the last 12 months of his deal and, until this season, had struggled to consistently provide value for money on a contract that looked increasingly less palatable due to the financial situation in the Championship, admittedly not necessarily through any fault of his own.
He had been, to be brutal, an expensive flop.
But this campaign has been a totally different story; a near-reset into what Wells is at City and he has arguably been the Robins best and most consistent performer this term, scoring six goals in eight Championship appearances - one every 119 minutes - and when he’s not troubling opposition goalkeepers, he’s played with real menace on the fringes, constantly bothering defenders both with and without the ball.
There is a bond with the City faithful as well, his signature song to the tune of KC & the Sunshine Band’s ‘Baby Give it Up’ ringing out at Ashton Gate on Saturday, and a growing appreciation for what he brings to the team in what is a stacked striker’s department.
As Pearson has regularly said, not once has Wells made an issue of his lack of game time, and, speaking to Bermuda’s Royal Gazette, he’s set out his mission statement for what could conceivably be his concluding campaign in a City shirt.
“It was a tough journey and difficult but I am a tough individual,” Wells told the Royal Gazette. “I come from nothing in regards to the fact that all of this is a dream. It was always a dream to be living this life and it turned into reality, so I enjoy it no matter what. I am at a fantastic football club, with fantastic support, fantastic facilities and an amazing city.
“It’s everything you would want as a footballer and, while I have a last window of opportunity, I want to try and make the most of that and see where it leads me.
“The club has invested a lot of money in me along with many others, and that motivates me as well. I want to leave this football club, whenever that may be, as someone who gave their all and did everything they can; was unlucky from time to time but turned out to be a good signing.
“That’s just the mentality and I think having that mindset and focus is what is driving me to do well week in week out. I am not getting any younger but I still feel amazing and I can play every game and every minute, but I have to take these opportunities when they come because they don’t come too often.”
The concept of a new contract isn’t likely to be a conversation until a little further into the season and, ultimately, any agreement will require a wage decrease, something that no individual wants to rush into, especially as the striker is at the stage of his career where he has potentially one last lucrative move left in him.
But, in the short term, Wells is simply happy to be justifying his existence at City, to be blunt. As he admits, he’s had to wait his chance and take it. That moment came in the 2-0 home win over Luton Town, where he was paired alongside Tommy Conway, and since then he’s not been out of the side, completing 90 minutes in all but three fixtures.
Pearson has been true to his word in giving people opportunities, and Wells has recognised that clarity of message by producing displays befitting of his reputation and ability.
“It was one of those games when I scored after five minutes and I knew that was the moment that change was going to happen,” Wells added, of the Luton game when he opened the scoring.
“I was going to be able to really pull the ball back in my court because the manager is like that. He gives people chances and, if you take it, he is not going to take you out of the team for the sake of it. He will play you and he does stick to his word in that regard.
“I scored and we won. We got a clean sheet, our first win of the season and I had a big part to play in our performance that day. That’s been the story up to now so there’s been no reason to pull me out or rest me.
“I have just been constantly at it and playing well. My performances have been near excellent every game and I have been scoring. So I am just happy to be back at my best and back playing where I wanted to be all this time.
“I am happy to be reaping the benefits of the hard work and staying mentally ready and focused, so when I did get a chance I was able to take it this season. That was my mentality coming into this season, it was a do-or-die attitude.”
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